More questions from the House…
Another one from Hansard. This time from the DUP’s successor to David Trimble, David Simpson, who asked:
the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many publicans in Northern Ireland were fined for selling short measures in each of the last 10 years. [38587]
Angela E. Smith: In the last 10 years, three publicans in Northern Ireland were fined for short measure offences: one in 1996 and two in 2005.
If you have any good stuff from Westminster, the Oireachtas, or your local council, drop us a line!
Tags: Government
Mick -
the burdens of office – thank God the voters kicked out Trimble.
Was it an oral or written question, seems Mr Simpson is trying to give an impression of being at Westminster rather than running his beef importing business
Tiny,
That’s my fault. It’s a written answer.
This is not an entirealy farcical issue actually. The idea that a pint means a pint has been increasingly forgotten by all but CAMRA. Beer is a large part of our culture and people are being ripped off with short measures every day. The fact that only 3 publicans were fined is more an indictment of the drinking public than anything else. Most people were obviously too blocked to notice.
Good to see an MP grapple with an issue of fundamental importance. Obviously demonstrating the qualities needed by a future Minister. Let’s face it Trimble just got bogged down in all that tedious detail.
Fines are generally a result of random inspections rather than the actions of the drinking public who are not too blocked to notice but have the classic British and Irish disease of preferring to grin and say thanks to the barman, then bitch about it to their mates but not mention it to anyone in a position to do anything about it.